1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lancet device used for producing a punctured wound on the skin when fluid or the like is obtained through the skin.
2. Background Information
With the growing number of diabetic patients, such cases are increasing that the diabetic patents measure the blood glucose level for themselves and perform self-monitoring its variation at their residences or the like. In view of the situation, a lancet device with a puncture needle has been produced, which is capable of obtaining blood necessary for measuring the blood glucose level by easily producing a punctured wound on the tip of a finger or the like when the blood is obtained for measuring the blood glucose level.
The lancet device includes a puncture needle on the tip thereof. The puncture needle is shot by means of the spring force while the tip of the lancet device is put on the tip of a finger or the like, and is protruded from the tip of the lancet device so that the protruded length corresponds to a few millimeters to 2.0 millimeters. With the above operation, the tip of a finger or the like is cut by the puncture needle and blood bleeding from the punctured wound is obtained. Then, the obtained blood is dropped on a sensor portion or the like of a glucose meter. Thus, it is possible to measure the glucose level.
As described above, this type of lancet device includes a puncture needle for producing a punctured wound on the tip of a finger or the like of a patient. Because of this, there has been a risk that especially the older people with poor eyesight or the like get hurt by mishandling the puncture needle.
In view of this, a so-called safety lancet device has been produced. The safety lancet device employs a configuration that a puncture needle is not exposed out of the main body if it is not needed (See Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-245717 (disclosed on Sep. 12, 2000)).
For example, the Patent Document 1 discloses a lancet device including a puncture needle cartridge and a lancet device body that the puncture needle cartridge is detachably/reattachably mounted to the tip thereof. The lancet device body includes an elongated housing, a plunger, a regulator, a puncture controller, a set controller, a first coil spring for urging the plunger in a front end direction, and a second coil spring for urging the plunger in a base end direction. The housing is composed of a housing body and a cap-shaped member that is provided in the base end portion of the housing body.
According to the configuration, the puncture needle cartridge is detachably/reattachably mounted to the tip of the housing. Therefore, it is possible to replace the puncture needle safely, easily and promptly.